Edwin r



(-No Model.)

" E. R.1VI0CALL.

BUZZ.

N0.15o9,'044. Patented Nov-.21, 1893..

EDw//v R., Mc CALL, v /nvena-r',

UNITED STATES PATENT -()'FEICE.

EDWIN R. MOCALL, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK;

Buzz.

SPECIFICATION formingy part of Letters Patent No.'509,044, dated November 21, 1893. Application filed November 12, 1891. Renewed May 19, 1893. Serial No. 474.833. (No model.) .'tatented in'G-ermany May 4;

To all whom it may concern.:

Beit known that I, EDWIN R. MOCALL, a citizen of the United States,re`siding at Rochester, in the county of Monroe and State of -New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in. Toys, (for which 1 have receivedv German Letters, Patent No. 66,792, dated May 4, 1892,) of which`the following is a specication.

My invention relates to a musical buzz or whirligig, and consists in a novel construction thereof whereby the tone or note may be varied at will while the toy is in motion. Y

v In the accompanying drawings-Figure 1 is a perspective viewV of my improved toy; Fig. 2, a side elevation of the same partly broken away; Fig. 3, a transverse section through the center; and Fig. 4, a similar section illustrating a'moditied construction.

Musical toys have heretofore been made in a variety of forms, and have embodied in their construction reed plates, whistles and the like,

designed to emit musical sounds by reason of the passage of air through them in consequence of the centrifugal action induced by y. rotation.

In some instances such toys have `,been provided with plates independent of the rotatory body or shell, and designed tobe set ormoved to different positions relatively to the openings ofthe reed plates, whistles, or

l. other sound-producing devices, so that one or another of the -reeds or whistles should be brought into action, and the sound in this manner varied. Under my construction the variation in the sound is eifected by a lateral movement of the rotating body upon a central v shaft or axis so as to partially or wholly uncover one or another series of openings, either containing the reeds or whistles or admitting air thereto,and thereby changing, grading, or varying the sounds emitted by the toy.

Referring again to the drawings,-A indicates a rotary shell or body, preferablyformed of two sheet metal disks a b, stamped or spun into the desired form, and united at their meeting edges by soldering or brazing, or as is preferred, by the formation of interlocking ribs orv grooves as indicated in Figs. 3 and 4. This method of uniting sheet metal bodies by spinning and indenting is common and well understood, and 'need not be further described. The disks a. b are both formed or provided near their centers with openings c for the admission of air, and at or near their peripherieswith openings d for the escape of air, the rotation of the shell and the consequent generation of centrifugalforce serving to produce f or crimping the metal of the disks a b upon them as shown in Fig. 3, but obviously they may be otherwise held, as for instance by soldering or riveting. The openings in the reed plates which are covered by the reeds f, are advisably, though not necessarily, placed directly opposite or in line with the openings c of the shell or body, so that the air entering through the openings c may pass without change of direction to the openings of the reed plates. y K

C indicates a shaft or stem which passes centrally through the disks ct b and the reed plates B, as shown in Fig. 3, its polygonal form permitting a lateral movement of the shell or body upon the stem, or of the stem through the body, while preventing independent rotation ofthe body and stem.

Riveted or otherwise made fast upon the ends of stem C are two disks or cap plates D, keach of a diameter sufficient to completely cover and close the openings'c of the disks ot h, and so spaced with reference to the faces of the disks ct b, asto permit a longitudinal "playof the stem or rod C, of about one-eighth of and inch, though this movement may he greater or less as deemed expedient.V The disks or caps D are preferably made concave to give them adequate stiffness and rigidity,

and are provided with eyesg to receive cords rco or strings E, by the alternate twisting and un`l twisting of which rotarymotion is imparted to the device alternately in opposite directions. 4When one or the other of the capplates or disks D is brought into contact with the face of the disk a or b to which it is applied, the openings c at that side of the toy are closed against the admission of air, and consequently no sound Will be emitted by the reeds or whistles at that side of the device; but as both caps are rigidly secured to the one stem or rod C, it follows that as one is brought into contact with its proximate disk (L or b, the other will be carried away from its disk, and consequently the openings c at that side from which the disk' D is removed will be uncovered, and airmwill be free to enter through the openings c at that side and to pass through the reed plates or whistles at that side, and thence to and through the openings el at the periphery. The shell or body A being loose and free to slide sidewise upon the stem or rod C, or the stem being free to slide through the shell or body, it Will be seen that by jerking the cords suddenly in one or the other direction this relative movement may be easily and quickly effected, Whether the body be in rotation or at rest, and consequently either set of reeds or Whistles may be brought into laction at will. It' the movement be such as toimperfectly uncover one or the tother set of openings, then air Will enter through both sets of openings c, and bot-h sets of reeds or whistles will be thrown into action. though the action of one may be stronger than that of the other; and by shifting the body or shell or the stern or rod one in relation to the other, a considerable range of Variation may be secured. The Varying speed of the device also changes the tone, noie, or sound resulting from the combination of tones or notes produced by the device, and the result is a very pleasing musical sound, varying as the changes of position take place. A

In order to simplify the const ructi'on I may discard the separate reed plates B and open.

ings c, and apply the reeds f directly to openings in the sides of the disks a b in the manner represented in Fig. 4L, in Which case however, it will be advisable to make t-he disks of stier or heavier metal than under the construction represented in Figs. l, 2 and 3. The

caps will in such case be made of proper size Y and circumt'erencewith openings for the ad mission and escape of air, sound-producing devices carried by said shell or body, adapted to be thrown into action by the passage of air from one set of openings to the other, cap plates or disks adapted to cover the openings `near the center of the body, and a connecting stem passing axially through the shell or body and carrying the cap plates, said stembei'ng of a length sufficient to permit movement of the body or shell andthe cap plates facewise.

toward and from each other.

2. In combination with shell or body A pro- Y vided with openings near its center and near its periphery, reedsf, applied to-openings near the center, rod or stem C passing axially through the shell or body A, and caps or covers D secured upon said stem in such relative position that when one cap is in contact with? a Wall of the shell the other cap shall be held away from the opposite Wall thereof, substantially as described.

3,. The herein described toy, consisting of shell or body A provided With openings c and d, reed plates B secured Within said shell, rod or stein C passing axially through the shell, cap plates D carried by said stem and separated a distance suflicient to prevent simultaneous contact of both caps With the walls of the shell,-and cords E, attached to said cap plates, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In witness whereof I hereunto set my hand in the presence of two Witnesses.

EDWIN R.` MCOALL.r

Vitnesses:

C. S. DRURY, WALTER S. DODGE. f 

